When it comes to choosing a gemstone for your wedding or engagement ring, you may be wondering whether to go for a natural diamond or one of its alternatives. Diamonds are the most popular and traditional choice, but they also come with a high price tag and some ethical concerns. On the other hand, several synthetic or lab-created stones can mimic the appearance and sparkle of diamonds, such as moissanite, lab diamonds, and cubic zirconia. But how do these stones compare to each other and natural diamonds? These were the questions I had been wondering when I was looking for my wedding or engagement ring. In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of each option and help you decide which is the best for you.

Traditional Diamonds Overview

Diamonds are the most popular and traditional choice for wedding rings, as they symbolize love, commitment, and eternity. Diamonds are formed deep in the earth’s mantle, under high pressure and temperature, and are brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. Diamonds are composed of pure carbon atoms arranged in a crystal lattice, which gives them their exceptional hardness, durability, and brilliance.

The Grading System of Diamonds: The 4Cs

Diamonds are graded according to the 4Cs that DeBeers has invented: cut, clarity, color, and carat. Cut refers to the shape and proportions of the diamond, which affects its sparkle and fire. Clarity refers to the presence or absence of internal and external flaws, called inclusions and blemishes, which affect its transparency and beauty. Color refers to the hue and saturation of the diamond, which ranges from colorless to yellow, brown, or even pink, blue, or green. The less of a color the diamond has, the more rarely found in nature. Carat refers to the weight and size of the diamond, which affects its value and appearance. My mom wanted a bigger rock because her hands are pretty big and her fingers are thick. My aunt has small and long hands, so she wanted a dainty ring with a slightly smaller size of a diamond to suit her style.

Are Traditional Diamonds an Ethical Choice?

I like to wear my clothes simple and comfortable, but I love to accessorize. So naturally, I got interested in diamonds and all sorts of beautiful sparkly rocks. While diamonds are beautiful and desirable, they have a dark side… And that’s the main reason why I wanted to talk about the other alternative options to traditional diamonds. Traditional diamonds, which are natural rocks that are excavated from the Earth, are often associated with conflict, violence, human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and corruption. Here are some of the reasons why these traditional diamonds may not be an ethical choice.

Conflict Diamonds, Dirt Diamonds, and Blood Diamonds

These are some of the names that Traditional diamonds have. It has many of these notorious names because some of the diamonds are mined and sold by rebel groups or warlords to fund civil wars, insurgencies, or terrorism. Conflict diamonds have fueled some of the most brutal conflicts in Africa such as in Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where millions of people have been killed, injured, displaced, or enslaved.

Modern-Day Slavery

Human rights abuses are rampant in the diamond industry, especially in countries with weak governance and regulation. Dimond miners, workers, and traders often face exploitation, violence, coercion, discrimination, and harassment. They are exposed to hazardous working conditions, such as extreme heat, dust, noise, and lack of safety equipment and healthcare. They are also paid very low wages, if not even nothing at all. They have no access to education, social security, or legal protection. They are also vulnerable to extortion, theft, and smuggling by armed groups, corrupt officials, or criminal networks. This to me is a modern-day slavery.

Environmental Concerns

Environmental degradation is another consequence of diamond mining, especially in open-pit or alluvial mining, which are the most common and destructive methods. Diamond mining causes deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. It also consumes many natural resources around the area, including water, energy, and land. Finally, diamond mining also contributes to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases and reducing carbon sinks.

Corruption

As it was stated in the Netflix Explained: Diamonds, although many diamond sellers would claim that their diamonds are ethically sourced, it is very difficult to know whether that claim is true or not.

Corruption is a pervasive problem in the diamond industry. It often undermines the rule of law, accountability, and transparency, Corruption facilitates the trade of conflict diamonds, the evasion of taxes and royalties, the violation of labor and environmental standards, and the laundering of money and assets. This corruption also prevents the equitable distribution of the profits of diamond mining; it enriches a few elites and impoverishes the majority of the population that was involved in the labor.

My Thoughts

After learning about all of these facts, I knew I didn’t want the traditional diamonds. It was far from symbolism of the true love, it was the exact opposite of it! When I look at my wedding ring, I feel like I hear the people screaming, the explosion sound, and see the blood and dirt all over it. So what are the other options? I still want to celebrate the vow I had with my husband, wear beautiful jewelry on my ring finger, and tell the world I am taken! Thankfully, many other people had the same view as me and came up with a few other alternatives: Lab diamonds, Moissanite, and Cubic Zirconia. So let’s go over these alternatives one by one, and compare them side by side so we can choose the one that suits you!

1. Lab Diamonds

Lab Diamonds Overview

Lab diamonds, also known as synthetic diamonds, cultured diamonds, or engineered diamonds, are diamonds that are grown in a laboratory, rather than mined from the earth. Lab diamonds are made of the same material and have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds. You can still detect the differences between lab diamonds and natural diamonds with specialized equipment, as they have different growth patterns, inclusions, and trace elements.

Lab Diamonds vs Traditional Diamonds

Lab diamonds are becoming more popular and accessible, as they offer several advantages over natural diamonds. Contrary to popular belief, lab diamonds are one of the best forms of natural diamonds as they rank the best of 4Cs in Clarity and Color. Moreover, there are no ethical concerns you have with traditional diamonds. Lastly, lab diamonds are offered at a better price than the traditional ones as the lab diamonds are not subject to the same supply and demand forces as natural diamonds!

So lab diamonds are certainly on the top of the list as a wedding or engagement ring. Now let’s look at mossianite which I find so incredibly beautiful and interesting.

2. Moissanite

Overview

Moissanite, a captivating gemstone, is composed of silicon carbide (SiC) and occurs in trace amounts in nature, primarily found in meteorites – A rock that falls to Earth from space. However, the majority of moissanites used as gemstones on Earth are artificially created in laboratories nowadays. Referred to as carborundum and colloquially known as “Stardust” in jewelry marketing, moissanite’s rarity in nature, and association with meteorites, add to its allure.

History of Moissanite

Moissanite is a rare mineral that was first discovered in a meteor crater in Arizona in 1893 by a French chemist and pharmacist Henri Moissan. The name of the gem “Moissanite” is derived from his surname. It was not until the 1950s that scientists at General Electric managed to synthesize silicon carbide crystals in a controlled environment. However, these crystals were too small and imperfect for jewelry purposes. It took another four decades for a company called Cree to develop a process to grow large and flawless moissanite crystals. In 1995, Cree partnered with Charles & Colvard, a jewelry company, to introduce moissanite to the market as a gemstone⁴.

Since then, moissanite has gained popularity as an alternative to diamond, especially among environmentally and socially conscious consumers who want to avoid the negative impacts of diamond mining. Moissanite is also favored by some people who appreciate its unique optical properties and its origin from the stars. We will talk about the unique qualities of moissanite compared to diamonds later in the post.

Moissanite is a different stone from Diamond

It’s crucial to note that moissanite stands apart from lab-grown diamonds. While lab-grown diamonds involve synthesizing real diamond elements to enhance their size and maintain identical elemental composition and molecular structure, moissanite possesses a distinct elemental makeup, establishing it as a separate and unique gemstone.

3. Cubic Zirconia

Overview

Cubic zirconia (CZ) is a synthetic gemstone made of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). It is hard, usually colorless, and has a high refractive index and dispersion, making it a popular diamond simulant. ¹² CZ is also often compared to diamonds and sometimes marketed as synthetic diamonds, but that is not true. Compared to lab diamonds that are actually the same in composition as the diamond stone from the Earth, CZ is made of a different compound. CZ is much cheaper than lab diamonds and moissanite, so you can see it used in many affordable jewelry shops paired with gold-plated bands rather than using gold to pair with it.

History of CZ

The history of cubic zirconia dates back to 1892, when the mineral baddeleyite, a natural form of zirconium oxide, was discovered. In 1937, German mineralogists M.V. Stackelberg and K. Chudoba found microscopic grains of cubic zirconia within a zircon. However, it was not until the 1970s that cubic zirconia was synthesized and commercialized as a diamond substitute. ¹⁷

Moissanite vs Lab Diamond vs Cubic Zirconia

Now to the fun part, let’s compare them side by side! I will cover the optical properties(sparkles and colors), durability, and the cost of these three stones.

From left to right: Traditional diamonds, moissanite, and lab diamonds of 1 carat.

Moissanite has brighter lights than the diamonds on both sides. Diamonds, whether they are from the Earth or lab-grown, they have the same compound.

1. Optical Properties

You need the refractive index and dispersion to compare the optical properties of the gemstones. These are scientific ways to differentiate the gemstones as well.

Refractive index

The higher the refractive index is, the more bending of the lights happens and thus more sparkle and brilliance are created. The refractive index is measured below and ranges from high to low. This means that the moissanite is more sparkly than the diamonds, followed by CZ. All of these three stones have considerably higher RI than the ones of other popular gemstones like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires which range from 1-1.76.

1. Moissanite: 2.65-2.69
2. Diamonds: 2.42
3. Cubic Zirconia: 2.15-2.18

Dispersion

Dispersion in gemstones refers to flashes of color. The higher the number it has, the more “rainbow effect” – meaning it reflects colored light that it’s as if you see a flash of rainbow. So this means that moissanite and CZ bends and splits light more than diamond, creating a more rainbow-like effect. Some people love this effect, while others find it too flashy or artificial.

1. Moissanite: 0.104
2. Cubic Zirconia: 0.058-0.066
3. Diamonds: 0.044

Conclusion

So this means that Moissanite has the most sparkles and rainbow lights! Diamond is the second most sparkly, yet it has fewer colors so you will see more icy and white colors reflected. Cubic Zirconia will have the least sparkles among these other gemstones while having a more rainbow effect than the diamonds.

2. Durability

To measure the durability of the gemstone, you need the Mohs scale of hardness. If you are looking to choose a gemstone that you want to put on your wedding ring, you’d want something that you can wear for your lifetime and stay the same. It has a scale from 0 to 10, 10 being the hardest material.

Mohs scale of hardness

1. Diamond: 10
2. Moissanite: 9.25
3. Cubic Zirconia: 8-8.5

Conclusion

Diamond is the hardest material on earth, ranking the number 10 out of 10 on this scale. Moissanite ranks right below diamond, which makes Moissanite very durable and resistant to scratches and abrasions. So moissanite is suitable for everyday wear and tear. However, CZ falls between 8 to 8.5, which is quite hard but is subjected to scratches and abrasions over time, making it not suitable for everyday wear and less durable than diamond and moissanite. CZ can lose its luster and brilliance over time, especially if exposed to chemicals, oils, or high temperatures. Diamonds, on the other hand, are resistant to most environmental factors and can last a lifetime. ³⁶

3. Cost

The last thing you want to know about these gemstones might be the cost! The cost of a wedding ring depends on several factors such as the size, shape, quality, and color of the stone, as well as the metal and design of the setting. But we can go over the average cost of 1-carat of a loose gemstone to compare just the cost of it. Generally, diamond is much more expensive than moissanite even when both of them are created in the lab. Cubic zirconia is much cheaper than the other two gemstones, a one-carat CZ ring can cost as little as $20 while a one-carat diamond ring can cost thousands of dollars. This is also because low-quality metals that will rust often use CZ while a diamond ring, whether it is lab or traditional, will use gold for their band material. So the loose gemstone of 1-carat on average costs as below.

1. Lab Diamonds: $800-1,200
2. Moissanite: $400-600
3. Cubic Zirconia: $20

Conclusion & My Thoughts

I hope this post gave you a good overview of these three gemstones that are often compared to traditional diamonds: lab diamonds, moissanite, and cubic zirconia. I appreciate them all, and they all have their own unique qualities and usage. Moissanite is the “stardust” that can be found in meteorites with the most sparkles and rainbow effect. Lab diamonds sparkle beautifully with fewer colors. Cubic Zirconia is less durable and sparkles, but you cannot beat its price! So I’d use lab diamonds for my wedding and engagement ring, moissanite for some other everyday jewelry like necklaces, fashion rings, and bracelets, while using CZ for a Tiara where you need lots of stones but won’t use it daily to keep the price on point yet sparkles beautifully. A promise ring could be in moissanite as well. If you don’t know what a promise ring is, I wrote an article about what a promise ring is. What about you? Do you have your favorite? How would you choose your jewelry?